Japan’s Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto on the podium of the American ‘Blade Angels’ at the Winter Olympics

MILAN (AP) — Ami Nakai and Japanese teammate Kaori Sakamoto defeated Alysa Liu and the rest of the team “Blade Angels” on Tuesday evening.

Nakai rode her first triple axel to a career-best 78.71 points in her short program at the Olympic Games Milan Cortinawhile three-time world champion Sakamoto – the reigning Winter Games bronze medalist – was close behind with 77.23 as she hunts for the only gold medal she has yet to win. Liu came third with 76.59, staying within reach of the top step of the podium.

“Whether I beat them or not is not my goal,” Liu said of the Japanese contingent, which also includes Mone Chiba right behind her in fourth place. “My goal is just to do my programs and share my story, and I don’t have to be above or below anyone to do that.”

The 20-year-old Liu was almost perfect. Her fellow “Blade Angels” were not.

Isabeau Levito lost a level on her step series, finishing eighth with 70.84 points, while reigning three times American champion Amber Glenn her hopes for a medal were likely evaporated when she doubled a triple loop, rendering the jump invalid and worth no points.

Glenn fought back tears as she stepped off the ice, finishing in 13th place with 67.39 points.

“I had it,” Glenn told her coach, Damon Allen. He replied, “It’s not over yet.”

Chiba gave Japan three women capable of capturing a podium finish when the women’s free skate concludes the Winter Games figure skating program on Thursday evening. Chiba scored 74.00 points and just took the lead Adelia Petrosian of Russia.

The women’s event has long been considered a showdown between the brilliant Japanese and the powerful Americans.

Still, Petrosian squeezed into the middle of them.

The world had barely seen the 18-year-old from Moscow as Russia is still excluded from international competition after the invasion of Ukraine. But Pedrosian, who is coached by the controversial Eteri Tutberidze, was vetted by the International Olympic Committee and cleared of any links to the military or war, allowing her to compete and win a qualifying tournament in Japan.

Without any real world ranking to her name, Petrosian was the second to take the ice, among skaters with little chance of qualifying for the free skate, let alone hitting the podium. But it was clear that she was different from the moment her music started.

As a medley of Michael Jackson hits played, Petrosian — competing as a neutral athlete — whipped through her double axel, landed a triple lutz and capped the performance with a triple flip-triple toe loop that seemed downright effortless.

“I’m quite satisfied with my score. It’s good,” Petrosian said in Russian, “and I’m happy with it.”

She’ll be even happier when she finds herself among the other favorites warming up for the free skate.

“I hope to be in the same warm-up group with them,” Petrosian said. “I haven’t really seen them yet because we’re all in different practice groups. But it would be fun to be in the same warm-up group and compete against them.”

Nakai and Sakamoto will certainly rise to the challenge.

Inspired by the great Mao Asada, 17-year-old Nakai followed her opening triple axel with a triple loop-triple toe loop, and her final triple loop gave her a big lead over Sakamoto when it came to the technical score.

“I have absolutely no chance against Kaori,” Nakai said modestly. “Right now I’m just enjoying these Olympics.”

The 25-year-old Sakamoto almost made up the difference over Nakai in terms of technical score with her signature artistry. After landing her final combination, she gave a light fist bump as she caught her breath and then nodded to herself as if to say, “I did it.”

Then there was Liu, who finished sixth at the Beijing Games four years ago and then left the sport completely.

Burnt out from figure skating, she wanted to live a normal life, and she did just that for a few years, checking items off a long bucket list. But when Liu felt that familiar adrenaline rush of figure skating during a ski trip, it spurred her to take up the sport again, but this time she would perform entirely on her own terms.

Liu became the first American woman in nearly two decades to win a world title when she triumphed last year. Now, with another great skate on Thursday night, she could give the US its first Olympic women’s champion since Sarah Hughes in 2002.

“I can’t even describe how different it is,” Liu said. “I just mean the fact that my family and friends are here and the fact that it’s not COVID and the fact that I’m here with shows that I love and that I’m proud enough of to like and have people see it and like it and represent it and, like, I love my dresses very much. Like I’m super confident in myself, in everything. It goes beyond just my skating,

“So I’m very happy,” said Liu, “that I got this stage the way I am now.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics